States Where You Can Watch International Stars and Gamble Online
The number of players in the NFL who aren’t born in North America continues to rise, with many emerging not just as roster-fillers but fully-fledged starters. You only have to look as far as Younghoe Koo’s new contract to see that international talents aren’t being undervalued in American football’s most prestigious competition.
Still, for travelling fans who want to come to the US to back their local stars or even just see how far the league has come in its global draw for athletes, a core part of the sports experience has often been missing. It wasn’t until recently that states in the US were able to open up to sports betting and online casino gaming.
This is despite gambling being so intertwined with sports in countries around the world – particularly those in Europe. In any case, many states are now running regulated gambling scenes. So here, we’re going through the places where you can both see international players who could challenge in the playoffs and gamble online in the US.
Hunter and Joseph in Minnesota
Danielle Hunter has been a mainstay for the Minnesota Vikings since 2015, becoming an undisputed starter at defensive end in 2017. In 2018 and 2019, the Jamaica-born LDE was selected to the Pro Bowl, having put up 14.5 sacks in both campaigns. Last season, his run of 55 consecutive starts concluded due to a torn pectoral muscle, per SportsIllustrated, which ended his season.
After missing 2020, Greg Joseph looked to have all but cemented himself as a go-to NFL kicker for the Vikings. His 135 points scored ranked him eighth in the league, putting 33 of 38 field goal attempts between the pipes as well as 90 per cent of his 40 extra points attempts. With four of his five FG misses coming beyond 40 yards, it’d be fair to say that the South African was quite reliable last season.
As it stands, Minnesota doesn’t have a regulated online gambling scene, but one looks to be on the way. According to reports from iGB following developments, online betting bills have been approved by the legislative committee. As such, if the governor can negotiate new tribal pacts, it could come into play before the 2022 season starts.
Super Bowl Dark Horses in Betting Country
Hunter and Joseph are out at +4000 with the Minnesota Vikings to win the Super Bowl, and so too is Australian Jordan Mailata with the Philadelphia Eagles. The big difference here, though, is that the starting offensive tackle is in a state that regulates online gambling. People in Pennsylvania can bet on sports and play casino games, and by using BetMGM review to claim the bonus, you can get $25 for free without a deposit.
Mailata is in one of the most gambling-friendly states in the US, and even though his Eagles are one of the dark horses, you can bet that there’ll be plenty backing them and spinning slots across PA. Elsewhere, we have more favoured Super Bowl dark horse teams featuring international stars among their starters.
Down in Indiana, where sports betting is available, Guinea-born Kwity Paye is being tipped as one of the potential breakout stars for the Indianapolis Colts (+2500) in 2022. In 15 starts last season, the defensive end put up 32 combined tackles, 4.0 sacks, and ten QB hits. All of the way south, you can see Nigerian defensive tackle David Onyemata and the Saints (+3000) compete in the very gambling-centric city of New Orleans.
So, if you want to experience online gambling in the US while watching a star player born outside of North America, consider getting tickets to the Vikings, Eagles, Colts, or Saints in 2022.
